A LANDLORD is warning drivers to be extra vigilant on a road where a deer has regularly been seen running in front of cars.

Alan Harle, 57, landlord of the Punch Hotel, Darwen, was travelling along Goosehouse Lane when he had to slam on his brakes to avoid hitting the deer

Alan said: "It was a real shock. I have spoken to other people in Darwen and they have also seen the deer in the middle of the road and have had to swerve to avoid it.

"The road has a sharp bend and also becomes very slippery if it is wet, which makes it even more dangerous to have to swerve out of the way.

"I believe that the deer is one of the reasons why there has been so many accidents around this area."

Alan's son, also called Alan, 27, a bar manager at the Punch Hotel, was with his father in the car when they were travelling back from Blackburn to the pub and came across the deer.

Alan said: "The deer caught us both by surprise and could have been very dangerous because it was right next to the road. There are a lot of fields surrounding the road, which is where the deer may have come from.

"But I know that this isn't an isolated case because customers have also spotted the deer roaming in the middle of the road."

There have been two deaths and 17 accidents on Goosehouse Lane since 1996 but police said none of them was being linked to the animal.